Five Rabbits

Fauna , Flora , Habitat , TTWL , UC 0 Dec 29, 2019 604

Five rabbits is all it took, to create a plague that continues to be battled over 160 years later.

When colonists arrived, the desire to make their new home more like the old. Make use of what they had or could provide in their new surrounds. Listed inventory included 5 rabbits in 1788, The Acclimatisation societies in each colony were established to procure a wide range of animals for food, hunting, sport, and fur trade.

Lady Frankins’ Betsy Island, located at the mouth of the Derwent Tasmania. Introduced Silver hair rabbits in 1827 to hunt and for fur. Was assisted to turn this into an “acclimatisation” property. As up to that point, it had been infested with game of inferior sort. As noted in the 1865 Argus:

A few gentlemen deeply interested in the subject of acclimatisation are, we understand, desirous of seeing this fine property turned to some better account, and either have made a proposal to that effect to Mr. Ronald Gunn, Lady Franklin’s agent, or

will do so shortly. What they propose is, to lease the island ; and in the event of that being done, they then propose to turn it into

an acclimatisation ground, or, in other words, to turn it to the likes to which Phillip Island,on the Melbourne coast, Is put by the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria, that is, to the rearing of all sorts of game of the first description. We know of no better use to which the land could be put; and such a proposal would no doubt meet with Lady Franklin’s entire approval.”

It was in short order, they were described as “abundant” Within a few years the Colony had to introduce a Bill to attempt to gain control. Not to be deterred by such issues, (and being mindful of the times) It was noted in The Argus (1862) that Mr Wilson had visited in Tasmania a few years back, was taken by the abundance of these very attractive rabbits.

We believe that great numbers of these animals were to be found on the islands of the neighboring colonies. When in Tasmania, a short time ago, Mr. Wilson made inquiry, and learned that they were plentiful on one of the islands near Hobart Town. At considerable trouble and expense, he had some of them caught and brought over to Victoria, and he expects, or has now received more.This description of rabbit is quite equal to the common wild sort for stocking warrens, but what renders it superior to the latter, and every other kind, is the value attached to its skin by furriers : each skin in the English market is worth about eighteenpence. The colour of the chinchilla rabbit is a beautiful dark grey. It is contemplated that in a few years this valuable breed will take the place of all the inferior sort now kept. In forming warrens the chinchilla should lia used. It is equal to the wild sort in every other respect, and its skin is so much more valuable, that it may eventually constitute a small but not unimportant article of commerce.

Mr Edward Wilson was interested in testing their viability on the mainland. Well not only did they survive, they thrived. He released these silver greys at his Arundel farm and by 1865 they were so prolific and had caused so much damage, instead of being hunted, keepers were attempting to destroy them. One such description in the Victorian news of Barwon Park read:

The hares have also bred this season for the first time, seven having been seen in the paddock, where only three were turned out. As to the rabbits, Mr. Austin reckons that, although upwards of five thousand were destroyed last year, there are ten thousand still. They are a perfect nuisance.
In September 1865 Barwon Park, when the rabbit shooting for the season has terminated. The quantity of rabbits booked as killed is 11,137, at an estimated weight of a little over ten tons. Numbers, no doubt, have been killed and taken away of which no account has been kept, besides the numbers that die in their holes and the sedges by the river side after a battle. The English wild rabbit is now spreading over the country, the sandy rises covered with fern affording favourite burrows and shelter.”

In 1879 a law was enacted in South Australia, as the rabbit invasion had decimated hundreds of square miles of land, rendering it perfectly barren. The methods were employed in other States, although there was no law enacted there.
Bisulphide and carbon was used to smother warrens. Warrens were ploughed in by manual labour.
1880 the Victorian land dep reported exterminators employed had terminated over 1 million rabbits, but urged a more concerted effort required by the colony as a whole, or be in danger of never retrieving the land
1884 Tuberculosis seemed to be the answer which was spreading among rabbits without introduction. 5 Million skins were exported from Victoria alone with pleas to help eradicate the pest which seemed unstoppable.
1885 The Rabbit Destruction Act introduced and accepted with much furvour.
Dr. Louis Pasteur’s name became widely known to Australians particularly, on account of the introduction of his microbes, contagious parasites for the wholesale destruction of tbe rabbit pest.
Poison baits strychnine, lignin, water tank traps, torturous traps, rabbit proof fences around known warrens to starve them,
1891 It was suggested a rabbit fence was commenced at the Qld border through rivers and down the Barwon some 120 miles

The Impact of Unintended Consequences.